The present invention is directed to automatic download provisioning.
Internet Service can be defined as a data or voice service that is accessed through the Internet. One class of Internet Service exists that can be used from a web browser without a separate software download of an Application that connects to and operates the Internet Services. Another class of Internet Service exists that requires a separate software download of an Application that connects to and operates the related Internet Services. Although there are many reasons for requiring a separate software download of an Application, the main reasons generally relate to performance, persistence, hardware integration, feature requirements, and/or technical and non-technical reasons.
Service Provisioning is the process of creating an account on an Internet service provider's network to allow a user to use the Internet Service. Methods exist in which a website performs Service Provisioning and transmits UserInfo (which is the data that is specific to a particular user) either by displaying the UserInfo on a web page (of the website) or by sending the UserInfo via email. The Application is transmitted in a separate download. The user must type in or paste the UserInfo manually.
Conventional methods cannot embed UserInfo into a downloadable software program that connects to and operates a data or voice service that is accessed through a network (e.g. Internet Services). One reason that conventional methods cannot accomplish this is because the software program that is to be downloaded is actually an Installer. Conventional Installers are not designed to have data written into them at download time. Attempting to do so would overwrite critical code or data, and break (e.g. corrupt) the Installer.